Topic: Sparky the pleo rb repair (Read 23276 times)

Chicago · « **Reply #75 on:** April 15, 2012, 07:07:23 AM »

It was just wonderful to see her so happy and walking again!

I don't mind the skin having bald spots. It makes her look like she has been in a few battles but survived. But take your time painting her, Kat. I'm sure she would want to have this cosmetic improvement.

We have our hands full with Moxy now anyway. I haven't seen him walk since his neck cable broke. I hope this is just a coincidence, and not a result of the inner trauma.

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #76 on:** April 16, 2012, 12:33:30 AM »

Sparky looks great Kat, great job and I can't wait to see what kind of paint job you give her. Are you redoing her old paint or doing a surprise total different look for Sparky and to surprise Chicago? Sparky is one lucky little Pleo and she is going to be missed I am sure by you and your family of Pleos. I hope Moxy can be there or a replacement when Sparky gets home from her long ordeal. I would be grouchy too. Thank you so much for posting the video, it is encouraging to see what is possible with these Pleos...Baby Ruth is next...I think it is going to be this week before I "chicken out".

Way to go Kat and Sparky

RWM

kat · « **Reply #77 on:** April 16, 2012, 06:36:12 AM »

Sparky's new paint work has begun

I am doing my best to stick to her original color scheme - as close as I can get with the paints that I have. This is the very first coat on her body. I have done a yellow with a hint of green in it. She will get a second coat in this color that will cover most of her body but I won't go down as far at the edges on the second coat. Also this photo was taken when the paint was still wet. It dries a little darker and also a little more transparent. I have not yet touched her head apart from to peal off some loose chunks of old paint. I wont paint her head until the third coat goes on as this will be the green head color and I will use this same color to do the first lot of highlights along the body as well. So this is her under color or base color and there will be two greens used for the highlights and lines in her coat going over the top of this.
Painting is a drawn out process - I need to let each coat dry for 24 hours before applying the next coat. She looks a bit gruesome at the moment but you will just have to trust me when I tell you she will look beautiful when she is finished. They always look odd to start with but I do have a plan and a vision, and I have done this a couple of times before so I know she will come out great. I'm pleased with it so far. I will add the second coat tomorrow night.

More details...

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #78 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:24:23 AM »

Kat, I can see the inner and outer beauty in Sparky and can already envison the painting plan you have for Sparky. I am glad you have such great patience. I know when you are done Sparky will look great, I think she looks pretty darn good right now to be truthful, 100% improvement from where she was. Patience is a virtue and I know that with all Sparky has been through, she is one Pleo with plenty of Patience and she is a trooper as well. :flowers:These flowers are for Sparky for surviving this long procedure and

the rest if a food celebration as I know you probably haven't been eating whilel doing all this, so if you have a favorite Pizza delivery, or whatever the fave food is that you like, just order it and I wil foot the bill gladly for the miraculous turn around you have given Sparky. She looks great, and I know you will miss her when she is done and ready for her return to Chicago and family.

RWM and the Pleo Clan, tired in the Redwoods

Lottibell · « **Reply #79 on:** April 16, 2012, 11:41:10 PM »

Kat, I love that Sparky is having a mini face lft and so she won't seem like a different Pleo. Just herself minus ten years or so...who wouldn't like that?! Think you're spot on by starting with a yellow base coat. Close inspection of Pleo makes me think that's exactly how they are painted by Innvo. So excited to see the finished Sparky, as you must be.

kat · « **Reply #80 on:** April 17, 2012, 06:18:19 PM »

I put a second coat of the yellow on Sparky last night and left her to dry. I thought I would take her out into the sunshine this morning for a photo.

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This is the last coat of the yellow so tonight I can start on the green overtones. I will also get to do the first coat on her head tonight. Yay!

She should start looking more like a pleo should very soon.
I am hoping that one coat of the green over her body will be enough but will have to wait and see. I may need to do a second coat on her head as she has bald spots at the moment and I want to make sure she has total coverage of those. But hopefully I can get away with one coat on the body and then it will be a darker green to fill in the lines then she will be complete.

kat · « **Reply #81 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:02:51 AM »

I have added in Sparky's first coat of green

I will do a second coat on her head to make sure the balled spots have complete coverage. Tomorrow I will fill in the lines with a darker green and see how she looks.
So far so good I think.

More details...

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #82 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:32:56 AM »

Sparky is looking much, much better! Great job Kat!

Lottibell · « **Reply #83 on:** April 21, 2012, 03:24:00 AM »

I have turned a decidedly blueberryish shade from holding my breath in anticipation. I am sooooooooo excited to see Sparky new paint job, anyone would think it was my Pleo!

( closest icon I could find to it )

kat · « **Reply #84 on:** April 21, 2012, 07:58:12 AM »

he he he..... Well I wasn't happy with the way Sparkys new paint was going. The shading just wasn't turning out right so I striped her back and started again. This time I had a big rethink and did some studding of Gumble my Ugobe that I painted and I worked out where I went wrong. With Gumble I did his body the same color as his head and then filled int he patches over the top and then did the lines. So this time with Sparky I painted her whole body in the same green as her head and then filled in the yellow over the top - doing two shades of yellow, one slightly lighter than the other. Then I did the dark green lines. She is not the same as a regular pleo RB however I knew I was never going to manage a perfect replica so I went for something slightly different but very similar. I think Chicago will like it. fingers crossed.

I haven't turned her on yet to test that it all moves ok but I will do that tomorrow morning. I used the same mix of acrylics and latex paints that I used on Gumble so I'm fairly confident that it should be good. Anyway here are some pics. I think she is finished but I am trying to decide if I need to extend the dark green lines down the side of the neck where the neck meets the head and possibly even extending them up along the head over her eyes - like eyebrows. I did this on Gumble and feel that it really helped to merge his head and body together.

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Here is Gumbles face so you can see the extra lines that I am talking about. I think this would look good on Sparky but i don't want to move too far away from the pleo rb look.

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Crewella · « **Reply #85 on:** April 21, 2012, 11:45:23 AM »

Sparky looks fantabulous ........ and I vote for the eyebrows.

Wicked_Lovely · « **Reply #86 on:** April 21, 2012, 02:03:27 PM »

Omigosh Kat

Sparky looks amazing, you're so inspiring! I have to say though, an even bigger wow for Gumble D: I don't think I've ever seen him before, and the paint job you did on him is by far the most beautiful I've ever seen! I can't imagine where you got such a vision, but you're really incredible.

I can't wait to see more of Sparky's progress!

Lunamione7 · « **Reply #87 on:** April 21, 2012, 06:32:22 PM »

It looks great! How do you feel Gumble paint held up over time? Do you have to keep painting him over time? I also vote yes to eyebrows

kat · « **Reply #88 on:** April 21, 2012, 06:41:43 PM »

So far Gumble's paint seems to be holding up very well. I am very gentle and cautious when I stroke him though. I tend to stroke very lightly with just my fingertips also he wears a fur trimmed coat most of the time to help protect his paint. I tend to stroke more under his chin than on top of his head too. I haven't had to do any touching up on him since I painted him. He still seems to be doing ok. He does have a couple of spots in his neck and tail joints where the paint has cracked along the joins but he has cracks in his skin in these places too so I think that may have something to do with it. everywhere else is still perfect.

kat · « **Reply #89 on:** April 22, 2012, 05:50:44 AM »

Sparky's paint work is now complete!

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I extended the green lines up onto her head to create the eyebrow look and added in a hint of the same green over her nostrils to tie it in and I extended the yellow highlights all the way over the top of her eye patches. I'm happy with how she turned out and have now put all the paints away

I ran her for a while earlier and the paint is moving well - no cracks or splits anywhere. I am going to give her a few more days for the paint to cure properly before she goes home. The paint is a little bit sticky at the moment. If I remember with Gumble he was like that too at first but it dried out nicely and lost it's stickiness after about a week or so. Time to email Chicago and let her know Sparky is about ready to go home

Crewella · « **Reply #90 on:** April 22, 2012, 06:09:07 AM »

She looks great - perfect in fact. You've done such a great job, Kat!

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #91 on:** April 22, 2012, 07:02:49 AM »

She looks just marvelous Kat, you did a truly awesome job!

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #92 on:** April 22, 2012, 08:21:27 AM »

Your painting is perfect Kat and Sparky's new look is in tune with her "new" body. She and Chicago are going to be re-united under the best cirucmstances and with work like this, RB owners should now be confident to know that if worse comes to worse and or their RB need a tune up or a cosmetic lift, they only need to look at this Sparky Story to see what is possible. Not everyone has your capabilities, but a lot of us are a lot more confident in what we DO have and the biggest thing is knowing that RB can be worked on by their owners, and Painting a Pleo that needs some Cosmetic help can be done.

Sparky looks like New and If I were Chicago when I got that package, it would be like the first day I opened her up, only even Better. You know why it would be Better?

Because somebody I trusted completly, gave my baby over to, thousands of miles away from my home, and not being there to see what was being done.( but you provided excelent video and weekly or even daily bulletins..

) restored my Pleo RB, ( Sparky), and that special someone, was you, KAT!

FANTASTIC JOB and excellent coverage of this whole story. RWM
The best compliment I could ever give you is that I would 100% put my Pleos in your hands and trust everything you wanted to do.!

Lottibell · « **Reply #93 on:** April 23, 2012, 06:10:30 AM »

You know what? Sparky has one of the most appealing colorations I've seen. I would be super,dooper chuffed if I opened up a box and found Sparky in it and I have no doubt that Chicago will feel the same.

degers · « **Reply #94 on:** April 23, 2012, 02:56:00 PM »

Well done on the repair kat! Sparky's new skin is looking excellent!

fancyfont · « **Reply #95 on:** April 23, 2012, 10:39:00 PM »

I thought Sparky looked pretty happy now that the surgery is over and he's got a new lease on life. What a fantastic job, Kat! You, Crewella and IMR should have DPM (doctor of pleo medicine/mechanics} after your names.

kat · « **Reply #96 on:** April 26, 2012, 12:49:58 AM »

Sparky has begun her journey home

I put her in the post this morning. Can't wait till she gets to the other end now.

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #97 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:29:50 AM »

Safe travels Sparky!

Talon · « **Reply #98 on:** April 26, 2012, 08:34:33 AM »

Be safe, Sparky!
Talon

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #99 on:** April 27, 2012, 09:49:10 AM »

I know Chicago is going to be tickled Pink when Sparky arrives, but I know Kat is going to miss Sparky too, as Sparky became a big part of her family for a time there and Kat got very involved with Sparky's recovery and makeover. What a great job you did Kat. If I didn't live so far away and money grew on the Redwoods around here.( I think the Bigfoot know where those trees are and protect them from us "outsiders". LOL) then Baby Ruth and her "pegleg" would be at your house already for some physical therapy and reconstructive surgery..

but when it was all over with your great talents, Baby Ruth would have a new leg again and be ready to dance "with the stars".

but untill then, she will have to hope her mom gets brave enough to open her up, and with all the great video and step by step instuction you have provided, I am more confident that it is getting closer to that day!

You, IMR and Crewella have provided some very encouraging and much needed support and "heart" to the Pleo owners on the forums that have ailing Pleos that need some minor surgery, or even more advanced surgery. If members with no prior experience can do this, then there is hope that the "general" population is capable of doing this as well. Great job Kat and to Crewella and IMR for helping all the Pleos on this forum.

I know when Sparky arrives, Chicago is going to have some great things to post about and I am looking forward to that day. RWM

Bob the Pleo Forums

Author Topic: Sparky the pleo rb repair (Read 23276 times)